1780 in science

Biology

• Clément Joseph Tissot publishes Gymnastique médicinale et chirurgicale, ou, essai sur l'utilité du mouvement, ou des différens exercices du corps, et du repos dans la cure des malades in Paris, the first text on the therapeutic benefits of physical exercise.
• Lazzaro Spallanzani publishes Dissertationi di fisica animale e vegetale, first interpreting the process of animal digestion as a chemical process in the stomach, by action of gastric juice. He also carries out important researches on animal fertilization.

  Chemistry

• Lactose is identified as a sugar by Carl Wilhelm Scheele.

  Physics

• Jean-Paul Marat publishes Recherches physiques sur le feu and Découvertes de M. Marat sur la lumière.

  History of science

• Dr John Aikin publishes his Biographical Memoirs of Medicine in Great Britain, the first English language historical dictionary of physicians.

  Technology

• Aimé Argand invents the Argand lamp.
• Thomas Earnshaw devizes the spring detent escapement for marine chronometers.

  Awards

• Copley Medal: Samuel Vince

  Births

• January 13 – Pierre Jean Robiquet, French chemist.
• March 10 – William Charles Ellis, English psychiatric physician.
• April 13 – Alexander Mitchell, Irish engineer and inventor of the screw-pile lighthouse.
• December 26 – Mary Somerville, British scientific writer.
• Elizabeth Philpot, English paleontologist.

  Deaths

• January 22 – André Levret, French obstetrician
• October 17 – William Cookworthy, English chemist
• undated – John Kay, English inventor